I love the new course I am teaching

In my two previous posts, I argued that higher education institutions should do more to help students succeed in their studies. And guess what? Soon after the posts came out I was approached by Tilburg University, my current employer, to design and run a course that helps students do just that. Of course, I said ‘yes’ and soon I will be teaching first years how to make the most of the study programmes they are enrolled in. I am very happy with the initiative, except for one thing - the course name. It’s called ‘Skills Lab’. Aside from being somewhat nondescript, it signals to students that they will learn skills which will help them be successful at studying, let’s call them study skills. They will, of course, learn study skills, but I don't want them to just stop there. I also hope that they will develop study routines and eventually turn those routines into habits. Let me explain.

Imagine you set a New Year's resolution for yourself to lose five kilos over the next three months and to keep the weight off. One of the core skills you will need to master is preparing healthy meals. But just simply having the skill won't cut it. You will need to actually use the skill and cook healthy meals on a daily basis. What's more, you may need to start shopping differently. You’ll have to stop overeating and exercise more. Yes, developing an ability to prep healthy meals is essential in achieving the desired goal, but at the same time you may need to change a lot of other routines, and, most importantly, stick to them. 

Following a routine is hard at the beginning. But over time it becomes easier. The more you repeat it, the less motivation and decision-making it requires. Executing the routine will become automatic, and eventually feel as natural as brushing your teeth before bed. Every Saturday morning will be grocery shopping time. Every Sunday afternoon will be dedicated to meal prep. The routine will turn into a habit, and developing habits is a great strategy for achieving long-term goals such as losing weight and not putting it back on, or getting a bachelor's degree.

Yes, study skills are central to academic success, but they alone are not enough. I will teach students how to read academic literature, take notes, and test themselves, but I also hope to help them embed those skills into their daily and weekly routines, which will eventually turn into habits. Developing effective study habits is the most sustainable strategy for learning at an academic institution and graduating from it, as well as having plenty of guilt-free leisure time along the way. Next year, I hope to change the course name to Habits Lab or Routines Lab.